Law & Order

Law & Order

Article excerpt

EDWARDSVILLE > Mother pleads guilty in death of baby * A woman has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of her 2-month-old son in Alton four years ago, prosecutors said Friday.

Wallisha Bland, 23, who lived in the 1500 block of Beecher Drive in Dellwood, had been staying with an acquaintance in Alton when the death occurred in October 2012.

She told authorities that the baby, Jace Gillespie, was sleeping on a sofa with her and his 16-month-old brother when she noticed he was unresponsive. The baby was later pronounced dead at St. Anthony's Hospital.

Police said Jace was born 10 weeks premature and had been out of the hospital only three weeks when he died. An autopsy found the baby had a fractured skull. Police said an investigation found that the day before Jace died, Bland had thrown him to the floor. …